Starting with a horse named Mutatis Mutandis, latin for "the necessary changes have been made", Cory Clouston's roots in harness racing have prepped him for his swift rise through the ranks
to coach in the National Hockey League.
While growing up in Alberta and living with his parents and two brothers in a "two-room shack", Clouston's father Wayne went to work for his brother-in-law - Rod Hennessy. Wayne claimed Mutatis Mutandis, and the horse went on to be claimer of the year.
"The horse ended up doing very well," Clouston tells The Ottawa Citizen, "Mom had a good job, and from that time on I never remember going without."
That work ethic and determination instilled from his humble beginnings have gone a long way in the 40-year-old Albertan's rise to coaching at hockey's highest level.
"I don't take anything for granted," stated Clouston in an interview conducted at Rideau Carleton Raceway. "If you learn the value of hard work, you appreciate what you have and you learn that if you work hard, you can succeed."
To read the full feature on Clouston, click here.